The tragic death of the hospital-based family doctor

12:43 AM,
Feb. 1, 2014

Written by

Norman Rosen, M.D.

Several months ago, I was making rounds at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital as I had done every day for the past 36 years. I was passing by one of the hospital rooms and I heard a sound that I had heard many times in my career - a "death rattle."

I stepped into the room and there was the patient gasping for air and looking desperate. I immediately pulled the alarm and called for a "code" to get help to resuscitate this poor suffering patient.